Shloka 1

Devanagari script

धृतराष्ट्रने पूछा--संजय! क्रोधमें भरे हुए भीमसेन आदि जो योद्धा द्रोणाचार्यपर चढ़ाई कर रहे थे, उन सबके रथोंके (घोड़े-ध्वजा आदि) चिह्न कैसे थे? यह मुझे बताओ

Transliteration

Dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca—Sañjaya, krodhena pūrṇā Bhīmasenādayo ye yoddhā Droṇācāryam abhyāpatanta, teṣāṁ sarveṣāṁ rathānāṁ (aśva-dhvajādi) cihnāni kīdṛśāni āsan? etan me brūhi.

Translation

Dhritarashtra fragte: „Sañjaya! Als Bhimasena und die anderen, vom Zorn erfüllt, gegen den Ācārya Droṇa anstürmten, welche Erkennungszeichen trugen ihre Wagen—Pferde und Banner? Sage es mir.“

Word by Word

• धृतराष्ट्रः: Dhritarashtra
• धृतराष्ट्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपृच्छत्: asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Imperfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• संजय: O Sanjaya
• संजय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• क्रोधे: in anger
• क्रोधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भृताः: filled (with)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, क्त (past passive participle)

• भीमसेन: Bhimasena
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आदयः: and others, etc.
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि

• योध्दाराः: warriors
• योध्दाराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योद्धृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• द्रोणाचार्ये: against Dronacharya
• द्रोणाचार्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोणाचार्य
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अभ्यपतन्: rushed/charged
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Imperfect, 3, Plural, Parasmaipada, अभि

• तेषाम्: of them
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• रथानाम्: of the chariots
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• चिह्नानि: marks/insignia
• चिह्नानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिह्न
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• कथम्: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• आसन्: were
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect, 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, 2, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Sañjaya
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
• ratha (chariot)
• aśva (horses)
• dhvaja (banner/standard)
• cihna (emblems/insignia)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger (krodha) drives action in war and how external symbols—banners, horses, and chariot emblems—serve as markers of identity, allegiance, and intent. Ethically, it points to the tension between kṣatriya duty in battle and the destabilizing force of wrath that can eclipse discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhritarashtra asks Sanjaya to describe the distinguishing signs on the chariots of Bhima and the other warriors who are charging at Drona. The question sets up a detailed battlefield catalogue of standards and insignia, a common epic device to identify combatants and heighten the drama of the encounter.